Independence Day

India – a vibrant country of joy, celebration, traditions & cultures is celebrating its 70^th year of Independence.

As per the media report, there is a plan by the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, to launch a programme named as “70 Saal Azadi-Zara Yaad Karo Kurbani”, also called “AZADI70” (means, 70 years of independence-Do recall the sacrifices). The aim of this campaign is to make Indian people aware that country is first and individual is secondary as well as remember those supreme sacrifices made by the great freedom fighters of India during the freedom struggle.

We as normal civilians should be a part of this celebration & let our younger generation rather the youth know what Independence is all about, why is their recognition as Indians important.

Though we are celebrating our 70^th year of Independence, why is India still called “INTOLERANT Indians”?

Where are we standing after 70 years of Independence with no access to basic health facilities, no access to safe drinking water, where the gulf between the rich and the poor is widening as an alarming rate ?Why are we still unsafe as normal citizens? Why is law & order confined to the mighty? Why is sword here mightier than the pen? These are the questions which will haunt for years to come. We still as normal citizens are not able to provide a better future for the next generation.

We do say of being Sovereign, United, etc but where do these words stand in our everyday life? Why are people divided in the name of religion & united by terrorism? Should not this have been the opposite? THINK?

Are we still to be a part of the so-called foundation policy of “divide and rule” that was laid years back?

Why the “candle march” after every unlawful situation? Why is Justice delayed for years and then denied? Why cannot the society raise its voice before any incident happens, why do we need to wait for any similar 16^th Dec, 2012 (Nirbhaya Case)

We have reached the moon, we being the 2^nd largest in population with the maximum in working youth, we are the best in producing the world’s finest IT professionals, have digitized ourselves, we have proved to be the best in most then why are we to be slaughtered?

It’s time to raise our voices and join hands, to be Independent in true form, where we should stand out as resource rather than slaves, where we are safe in all aspects irrespective of sex, caste, color, religion or financial status (nepotism to be precise).

Let’s be knowledgeable rather being informative and literate, let’s “Be Human” first “Being Human” will follow.Happy, Prosperous and Safe Independence Day to All from team FareHawker Ultimate Travel Jokey.

Samhita Das

Amarnath Cave- Story and Significance

The Holy Trinity- Brahma-the creator of life, Vishnu-the perpetuator and Mahesh (Shiva)-the destroyer. Lord Shiva’s power were beyond imagination and were mightier than the other Gods.

Lord Shiva is the lord of all five elements, he wears a garland made of human heads, a snake around his neck, he holds the moon on His head and has the River Ganga flowing from his hair.

Behind the religious significance of Amarnath Yatra is an interesting story associated with Lord Shiva narrating the secret of his immortality to Ma Parvati.

Ma Parvati once asked Lord Shiva the reason why he wears a garland of human heads (Mund Mala), to which Lord Shiva replied that every time Ma Parvati dies and is born again he adds a new head to the garland.

On hearing this, Ma Parvati asked the reason behind Lord Shiva’s immortality, to which Lord Shiva said that to know the reason and become immortal, Ma PArvati will have to listen to the Amar Katha.

Ma Parvati consistently insisted on hearing the Amar Katha and after a long time Lord Shiva gave into Ma Parvati’s demand.

To narrate the story, Lord Shiva started searching for a place away from all living beings so that no living being could overhear the Amar Katha. He then chose the Amarnath cave. Lord Shiva started his ascent to the cave from Pahalgam, where he left his bull Nandi (the place came to be known as Bail Gaon), further down he released the moon from his hair at Chandanwari. At the banks of the Lake Sheshnag, he released his snake, then he left his son Lord Ganesha at Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Hill). Lord Shiva left the five elements which form the human beings at Panjtarni.

Shivji performed the Tandav Nritya with Ma Parvati before entering the cave and taking his Samadhi on the Deer Skin.

After leaving all the worldly beings behind, in order to make sure that Lord Shiva was alone with Ma Parvati, he created Rudra named Kalagni and ordered him to eliminate every living thing in and around the cave with fire.

Lord Shiva took his Samadhi and started narrating the Amar Katha to Ma Parvati, he requested Ma Parvati to keep making some noise in order to ensure Lord Shiva that she was listening. But as Ma Parvati’s fate was, she fell asleep during the narration.

It is believed that one egg considered non-living was lying under the deer skin remained undestroyed. A pair of pigeons hatched from this egg and became immortal having overheard the Amar Katha. It is also believed that the pair of pigeons is still present in the Amarnath Cave.

Inside the 130 ft high Amarnath cave, an ice Shiv Linga is formed. It is a stalagmite that is formed due to freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave on to the floor and grows up vertically from the cave floor. It is considered to be a Shiva Linga by Hindus.

The Yatra coincides with the Hindu Holy month of Shraavana. The Amarnath Yatra starts on the day of the Massik Shivratri and concludes on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan). The Yatra can be made for about two months in a year.

Yatra Dates for 2016: 2^nd July 2016 to 18^th August 2016.

There are two routes which lead to the Amarnath Cave, one via Pahalgam and the other via Baltal.

The route via Pahalgam is a 46 km trek.

Pahalgam to Chandanwari (16km)

Chandanwari to Pissu Top (3km)

Pissu Top to Sheshnag (9km)

Panjtarni to Holy Cave (6km)

Although the route is longer, most of the pilgrims prefer this route because via this route you visit all the places that Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati did. It is the route used by the Gods themselves.

The route via Baltal is much shorter, it is a 14 km trek.

According to Hindu Mythology this route was used by the Asurs (the devils) in order to make it to the cave to overhear the Amar Katha.

Helicopter tickets are available on both the routes, the helipad is located at Panjtarni which is 6 kms from the holy cave.

The helipad is located in Panjtarni, it is a 6 km trek to the holy cave and has to be done either on foot of pilgrims can also hire ponies for the same.

FareHawker is your one stop for all your Amarnath Yatra travel related woes. We provide personalized, safe, comfortable charter services to Amarnath. You can now book your travel with us. The passengers will be picked up using a world class helicopter from Srinagar and will be dropped off at Panjtarni.

Amarnath Yatra is one of the holiest yatras, and we provide you group bookings for the same. We rid you of all the travel related tensions. You can also book your helicopter tickets with us. The helicopter will pick the passengers up from Srinagar and the drop off will be made at Baltal.